Addicted to food

[Elia]

Hi, so whenever i find myself facing a heavy emotional problem or when i am bored I will always want to use food to numb myself or give me comfort, its so bad that food has become an addiction (sugar specifically). 

 

Has anyone overcome this before? 

Edited April 3, 2019 by Elia

[rNOW]

@Elia Yes. I have overcome it. Though the word 'overcome' sounds like a lie. Because it wasn't some deliberate action plan. It was more of a series of little realizations over a period of 3 years, now I have lost most of my unhealthy cravings. 

The number one thing that changed the game was the realization that I was talking to myself as other people were talking to me. That I was judging myself for the exact same things that others were judging me for. This is when I realized that my thoughts are not my own. They are borrowed from other people throughout my life. And a lot of them were very negative. So the negative stuck. If this was true, I thought, I must try borrowing better thoughts. This was also the time I started reading everyday - 15 minutes a day. And that is when I noticed, my mood changed immediately when I read something uplifting. OR watch an uplifting video.

So I took a lot of notes: Who are the people I interact the most with? What are my interactions about? What kind of interactions uplift me and what kind of interactions pull me down? After a few weeks of note-taking, I had some data. And then I realized I do not like the interactions I am having and also it is not possible to tell others to change them. So I read and read and read and watched videos which were helpful or useful or uplifting. (I did this for about 1.5 years everyday). If I had one negative interaction, I would compensate it with something positive 4 times. Example: Someone called me fat jokingly), I would lie to myself and tell myself I'm very healthy, because being called fat would send me into a guilt and shame spiral and I would end up eating more sugar. I would sometimes forget that, and so I set an alarm on my phone to go, "Hey gorgeous" every 2-3 hours. Every time my phone would show that message, I would force myself to read that lie. 

Another thing is noticing the root of craving- mine was guilt and shame. Through reading and lots and lots of journaling, I came to understand how the patterns got embedded in my psyche. And once you understand it, it automatically falls away. 

And then there is exercise - of any kind. 2 years into walking everyday, I noticed something really strange. I started craving fruits after exercising instead of my usual craving of junk food. Or even any other kind of cooked food. One more year later, I rarely feel hungry even after exercising. And it is very difficult to explain this to other people. 

I'm not sure if what worked for me would work for you. You might have to experiment a bit to find out. Just....do not guilt yourself into not-eating. Every change begins by loving yourself for who you are, right now. And knowing that you are enough, in-spite of all your emotional problems. 

Wish you the best. 

Edited April 3, 2019 by rNOW

[Truth Addict]

@Elia

Just go workout, get some highs through sport (for me it was free running), you'll become super conscious for a short while, and it will expand by time, until you will be able to end your addiction.

Try this for a month or two.

You NEED those highs!

Edited April 3, 2019 by Truth Addict

[Elia]

@rNOW Thank you, this is an approach i never really tried before.. Usually the advice i read and hear of is about changing one habit here and there (like sleep or being mindful of the craving) but these things never really helped me, i would go back to eating food and then feeling bloated and guilty about it. 

 

@Truth Addict  yes, i still need to get back to a sport very soon, thanks for this reminder!

[Joseph Maynor]

You need to compose a diet.  Here's mine.

Diet.pdf

[Nahm]

On 4/3/2019 at 2:38 PM, Elia said:

Hi, so whenever i find myself facing a heavy emotional problem or when i am bored I will always want to use food to numb myself or give me comfort, its so bad that food has become an addiction (sugar specifically). 

 

Has anyone overcome this before? 

When someone looks in the mirror and says or thinks “I need to be thinner”.....here’s what’s usually going on, and what makes overeating appear to be a tough issue....

Elia looks in the mirror and says........     ”I need to be thinner”

There’s literally, actually, completely, positively - not a single thing wrong with you. That is the Truth. You are perfect, exactly the way you are, right now.

The important, life changing difference to consider and become more & more aware of is - You are not that body. 

When you look at the body and identify with it as “me” or “I”, and say “I need to be thinner” - it feels terrible.

You think that the sensation of “feels terrible” is because of the weight.  But it’s not. 

Your body is infinite intelligence, infinite love. 

The sensation of “feels terrible” is the response of infinite love & intelligence saying “You are perfect, just as you are. You can continue to think that way about yourself,- you’re free to do that -  but it will never feel good, because it is not true.” 

The truth is, you’re perfect. You’re just identified with the body. 

Clearly, you’re aware of the body. Therefore, you can not simply be the body. Because, you are what is aware of it. You are the awareness. Infinite, perfect, limitless, awareness. If you attempt (in thinking) to reduce yourself to anything less, because it is not true, it will not feel good. 

Eat better if you want to. Go for walks, and or exercise if you want to. Lose weight if you want to. But, know, you’re perfect exactly how you are. 

Understand your relationship with the sugar addiction. 

Negative thought about yourself.....feels terrible because the response to that thought  from your infinite self is “nope, that thought is not true”. In having misunderstood your sensations (feelings / emotions) you sought out a way to feel better, sugar. The great, great news is - awareness alone is curative. There’ll be some frustration, there’ll be some moments of letting go, of tears and release. But simply being willing to become aware of this, will cure it. You’re perfect as you are. Allow your body and your perspective of it - allow it the infinite love. You absolutely deserve it. 

As you become willing to become aware of these thoughts-against-myself patterns, be loving & patient with yourself. No beating up, no guilting yourself, no rehashing.

It might take a while for the pattern to change, to really discover that you can trust your sensations....have faith that it will work, know that it will. Utilize your own power of conviction. Do not think it, do not believe it, know it. Listen to your sensations, understand them. They are rooted in a love that will blow your mind Elia.

 

 

[SgtPepper]

On 4/3/2019 at 2:38 PM, Elia said:

Hi, so whenever i find myself facing a heavy emotional problem or when i am bored I will always want to use food to numb myself or give me comfort, its so bad that food has become an addiction (sugar specifically). 

 

Has anyone overcome this before? 

cut out the sugar and you will feel less cravings, feel more in control of your food. 

[Javfly33]

Start by not having at home any food that is processed/sugar. Start from there

[Hellspeed]

Lack of nutrients in simple words. This causes eating too much plants and fast foods.